SA/CA Cichlids - new setup help please

[Randomguy851]

Hi Guys, Im a noob here, but have kept fish for over 35 years....

Currently tanless, so planning a new one with something I havnt tried before

My last set up was a 600 litre Malawi tank with 3 big external Eheims.

The new plan is a 5x2x2 open topped sumped tank, open topped so I can get big plants growing out the top hopefully.
I know plants and cichlids arent great, but I like a challegne lol. Will us something like easycarbo to get the plants growing well without C02 aggro.

Anyways, I know very little about americans and thats what I want to stock with.

Still in my learning stage as to whats what with Americans...Fish Id like would be Green terror,tapajo red caps, firemouth neon and std Rams, corys/catfish....let me know your thoughts guys

 

[Rocksor]

I'm assuming you have hard water (GH) based on your Malawi setup. The green terror would make a nice center piece fish or a harem of fire mouths, and would thrive in your setup. You could put the commonly called Buenos Aires tetras as dither fish (school of 12+) for the green terror and mollies/swordtails for the firemouths. With either the green terror or firemouths, I don't feel you would need a clean up crew like cories or catfish.

For the plants, I would recommend putting large rocks (like the size of fists) around the base to prevent cichlids from accidentally uprooting them.

mrrobxc has had a few tanks with plants and cichlids in them

 

[Randomguy851]

thanks Rocksor , this is the style Im shooting for....would prefer more fish than this tho,

 

[duanes]

The South American fish you mention, if from the Amazon side of the Andes are generally soft water species, many Geophagines, the Rams, and some others do best in tanks with pH below 7. Those South Americans from west of the Andes tend to be neutral water species, pH averaging around 7 and water slightly alkaline (there are a few species of Geophagus from that area, there are also Geophagus from the southern area of Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina that are more neutral types, but need cool downs).
Species from Central America often prefer pH and alkalinity above 7, even into the 8s or above.
I have found if you try to keep species out of their natural realm, they end up with chronic problems like HLLE and other maladies.
I find twhen rying to keep South American cichlids with Central Americans, the S Americans are often on the short end of the aggression scale, and suffer. (not all, but many)

 

[Randomguy851]

duanes , thanks, thats exactly the info I was after. I do love the Geo's that Ive seen, but I also like things like Neon Rams, standard rams and many others...Im trying to put a stocklist together to make an interesting yet busy tank. A few stores my way sell these, but I have pretty much no failth in their knowledge of the fish and what will and wont live together....